Color Fastness Washing

What Is Color Fastness Washing?

In the colour fastness to washing test, the sample is agitated in a closed container with a standard detergent solution and steel balls at a defined temperature and time. The multifibre adjacent fabric sewn to the sample shows which fibre types the dye transfers to.

Purpose of Color Fastness Washing

The purpose is to assess whether the product retains its colour when washed over its service life and whether it stains other laundry. It is one of the most commonly required fastness parameters in retail specifications.

Which Products Is Color Fastness Washing Applied To?

Ready-to-wear garments
Home textiles (bedding, towels)
Upholstery and curtain fabrics
Sportswear and technical textiles
Yarn and dyed fabrics

In Which Sectors Is Color Fastness Washing Used?

TextilesReady-to-WearRetailFurniture

Standards Related to Color Fastness Washing

ISO 105-C06 (colour fastness to washing)
ISO 105-A02 (grey scale for assessing change in colour)
ISO 105-A03 (grey scale for assessing staining)
ISO 105-F10 (multifibre adjacent fabric)

Color Fastness Washing Conditions

Experimental condition: One of the conditions defined with letters in the standard; selected from specification
Solution: Standard reference detergent; Add bleach if necessary
Bilye: Defined number of stainless steel balls according to condition
Assessment: Color change with gray scale and bleeding into the companion fabric

Equipment for Color Fastness Washing

Colour fastness to washing tester (launder-o-meter)
Stainless steel test containers and balls
Standard reference detergent
Multifibre adjacent fabric
Light box and grey scales

Sample Requirements for Color Fastness Washing

The sample must be taken so as to represent the batch or production run.
Sample description, material type, and production direction if any, must be stated.
The standard to be applied and any customer specification must be provided together with the sample.
The test may be destructive; the required number of samples must be confirmed in advance.
Surfaces that will be tested must be protected during transport.

Duration of Color Fastness Washing

The result is generally obtained within the same working day, including one test cycle and drying.

Color Fastness Washing Procedure

1The sample is cut and sewn to the adjacent fabric.
2The test condition in the specification is selected.
3The test solution is prepared and put in the container.
4The sample and balls are placed in the container.
5The container is agitated at the defined temperature and duration.
6The sample is rinsed and dried.
7It is assessed in the light box with the grey scales.

Color Fastness Washing Acceptance Criteria

The method standard defines how the test is performed, not what the result must be. The acceptance limit comes from the material or product standard, the customer specification, or the relevant regulation; this page therefore does not give a numerical limit.

Evaluation of Results

The result is given as two separate grades: colour change on the sample and staining of each fibre in the adjacent fabric. Grades range from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). The buyer's specification determines which grade is acceptable.

Color Fastness Washing Report

Sample description, material/product information, and batch number if any
Sample preparation method and conditioning conditions
Standard and test conditions applied
Instrument used and calibration status
Measurement results and units
Measurement uncertainty (if requested)
A statement that the result applies only to the specimen submitted for testing

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Harmonised standards applied according to the product family
EU 765/2008 (market surveillance and accreditation framework)
Relevant product regulations and customer specifications

Tekstil Testleri — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Color Fastness Washing test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Textile testing answers two questions separately: does the fabric hold up physically over its service life, and does it carry any substance restricted for human health? These two axes require different laboratory infrastructure and different decision mechanisms.

On the physical side, breaking and tear strength, abrasion resistance, pilling, dimensional change, colour fastness and water and oil repellency are measured. Most of these tests depend on the USE SCENARIO: Martindale abrasion cycles are decisive for an upholstery fabric, while dimensional change in washing and colour fastness come to the fore for a shirting fabric. The same fabric goes through a different test set for a different use.

Colour fastness is a body of work of its own in this field and is not a single test. The fastness of the same fabric to light, washing, rubbing, perspiration, saliva, chlorinated water and ironing is measured separately; each represents a different moment of use. Results are rated from 1 to 5 on the grey scale and the specification gives a separate minimum rating for each agent.

On the chemical side, aromatic amines released from azo dyes, formaldehyde, heavy metals, phthalates, short-chain chlorinated paraffins, alkylphenols and PFAS compounds are screened. These items come from REACH restrictions, brand restricted substance lists (RSL) and voluntary schemes such as OEKO-TEX. Brand lists are often stricter than legislation; the target customer is decisive.

There is NO CE marking on consumer textiles. The obligation has three legs: fibre composition and care labelling, compliance with chemical restrictions, and general product safety. Textiles claiming a protective function (workwear, flame-resistant clothing, high-visibility clothing) fall under personal protective equipment legislation, where CE is mandatory — this distinction is commercially critical.

Verifying the label declaration is the most routine work in the field. Quantitative fibre analysis confirms the blend ratio stated on the label; tolerance ranges are defined in legislation. An incorrect fibre declaration both misleads the consumer and affects customs classification.

Sustainability claims have added a new body of work to the field in recent years: verification of recycled content (GRS, RCS), organic content (GOTS), restriction of harmful chemicals and water/energy footprint declarations. These claims now require auditable evidence.

Method groups in this field

Strength and durability
Strip and grab breaking strength, tearing by the Elmendorf and tongue methods, seam strength, bursting strength.
Abrasion and surface
Martindale and rotary platform abrasion, pilling and fuzzing, fabric mass and thread density measurements.
Dimensional stability
Dimensional change in washing and drying, wrinkling behaviour, appearance after ironing.
Colour fastness
Fastness to light (xenon), washing, rubbing, perspiration, saliva, water and chlorinated water; rating on the grey scale.
Functional properties
Water repellency (spray test), oil repellency, waterproofness, air permeability, effectiveness of antibacterial finishes, UV protection factor.
Chemical analyses
Aromatic amines from azo dyes, formaldehyde, pH, heavy metals, phthalates, chlorinated phenols, PFAS and alkylphenols.

Commonly confused in this field

A brand restricted substance list (RSL) may be stricter than legislation; REACH compliance does not mean compliance with the customer specification.
Textiles claiming a protective function fall under PPE legislation and require CE; an ordinary textile test report does not satisfy that file.
Colour fastness is not a single number; a rating cannot be interpreted without stating which agent it relates to.
A result obtained for a fabric does not cover the whole garment made from it; lining, sewing thread, print and trims are assessed separately.
Performance claims after washing are valid together with the stated number of wash cycles; the word "permanent" on its own is not verifiable.

Which decisions these results support

Compliance with the brand restricted substance list (RSL)
Verification of label declarations: fibre composition and care instructions
Determining the performance class of upholstery and technical textiles
Pre-import shipment inspection and lot acceptance
Supporting sustainability and recycled content claims

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Color Fastness Washing

Which test condition should be selected?

The condition should reflect the product's actual care instructions. Testing a product labelled for low-temperature washing under a harsh condition gives an unrealistic result.

Why is staining assessed separately?

It is not enough for the product to retain its own colour; it must also not stain other laundry during washing. The multifibre adjacent fabric shows which fibre is affected.